Would Joe Calzaghe Have Made It Past The First, Against Prime RJJ?

Fighters far lesser than Joe made it past the first vs RJJ.

With Calzaghe's swarming style & RJJ's explosive speed & power, I wouldn't discount an early KO, but it wouldn't be the most likely outcome, imo.

A clear, but competitive, points win for RJJ in my opinion. 9/3 or 10/2, something like that. I think RJJ would make Joe too nervous of closing the distance with abandon, that he'd slow his work rate down & pot shot Joe from distance to win most rounds. That said, I think Calzaghe would have RJJ working just hard enough that he'd have slowed sufficiently for Calzaghe to win the last couple of rounds, without ever having Roy in any trouble.

 

Yeah, Calzaghe had a good, but not great chin. As often is the case with fittest fighters in history, he was exceptionally fast to recover when hurt.

Take a look at his KD vs Byron Mitchell. Unlike his KD vs Hopkins which was mostly balance having been caught square on, Joe was properly hurt. Look at his eyes as he groggily gets to his feet. He's seriously hurt, looks like the face of someone extremely drunk. A mere several seconds later he's going to war with Mitchell, pushing him back and stops him within a minute or so.

On balance, a prime RJJ hurting Calzaghe early is likely, scoring an early KD a distinct possibility, a R1 KO is possible, but unlikely, imo.

 

It was a strange KD that Jones scored on Calzaghe. For one thing, it wasn't borne out of any particularly aggressive attack from Jones. For another, it was part wrist and part inside of the glove that landed on Calzaghe's jaw. In itself it didn't appear particularly powerful, but it caught Joe unsighted and def. hurt him, but even when Calzaghe arose, Jones didn't really go after him - and after a few moments it was Calzaghe who was punching as if it was, he, not Jones, who just recently gained the upper hand via KD.

As fast as Jones was, even in his prime, he was known for his caution. He possibly could've scored even more and faster KOs if not for his caution - but I guess Jones knew himself best and saw good reason to fight the way he did. I haven't seen every Jones fight but perhaps his most singularly aggressive, knock e'm out asap effort was in the Griffin rematch. I liked that version of Jones - fighting at greater risk which ultimately yielded a sensational KO. However, in his pursuit of Griffin, I could see how much more open Roy was to counter - since Roy was far more naturally gifted than technically adept.

I would also say prime vs prime; Jones likely opts for his usual cautious style for a clear UD. Otherwise, if he came out of the gates like he did vs Griffin, he could well score an early KO but would also be increasing the risk of getting badly hurt early himself at the same time.

 

Calzaghe didn't really fight many KO punchers from memory apart from Lacy, who Calzaghe destroyed as Lacy was never able to get into the fight.

Calzaghe was dropped heavily by Mitchell, Salem, and stunned by Eubank at the end of their fight. He also took alot of flush right hands from Reid, Woodhall, without going down. And I forgot about Kessler who had respectable power, I remember Kessler hitting Calzaghe with a good uppercut which he took well. Calzaghe had a respectable chin but not granite IMO.

Overall no I don't see Jones stopping Calzaghe in the 1st round, but i think there is a chance of Jones stopping Calzaghe. Jones stopped some durable guys like Malinga who went distance with Benn x2, Eubank. And stopped Tate who went 12 rounds with Jackson and was never stopped. Jones could hit hard at Middleweight, Super Middleweight. And Calzaghe was no defensive wizard and got hit alot by fighters not in Jones's class. But honestly i would expect Jones to win a decision, but I wouldn't say stoppage is out of the question.

 

There was nothing about their fight that indicated their styles would be vastly different at any other time they fought

 

Jones might get a standing stoppage over a stunlocked Calzaghe. Joe could also get Marquez'd Four'd

 

Elaborate.

 

They both fought true to their form. Jones was just a hair slower

 

Not at all Jones was way past his best having being KO'ed by Tarver, Johnson. And never beat another top 10 fighter after them shocking KO defeats. You can't honestly tell me the shadow of Jones who fought Calzaghe, in anyway represents what Jones was in the 90s.

Calzaghe said himself a few years before he fought Jones, that beating Jones now would mean nothing as he was a shadow of his former self.

 

Are you suggesting roy fought with a different style ?
He was slower yes, everyone knows that. Was his style any different though?

You really believe he was such a different fighter that he would have put Calzaghe away in one round?

The only time I can ever remember Jones scoring a one round KO was against Montel Griffith in 1997. That's it.

My money is Calzaghe could hang with Jones anytime they fought, providing weight was relatively close .

Calzaghes style would frustrate Roy whenever they fought .
May be Roy beats him if they fought 10 years prior, but to come on here on a boxing forum and suggest that Calzaghe would be never make it out of round one is completely Ludacris.

Sounds like you learned everything you know about boxing from playing Fight Night

 

I think you need to learn to read better before you start insulting someone. In what part of my comment did i suggest Jones would KO Calzaghe in 1 round ? the only thing i pointed out was that Jones was a completely different fighter in 2008 compared to the 90s. And i don't believe Calzaghe beating Jones comprehensively in 2008, in anyway represents how a fight between them in the 90s would've panned out. But i certainly did not suggest that Jones would KO Calzaghe in 1 round.

In your previous comment you said "they fought true to their form" "There was nothing about their fight that indicated their styles would be vastly different at any other time they fought"

So your telling me a passive/gun shy Roy Jones, who suffered multiple KO losses. Was fighting true to his form vs Calzaghe, by laying on the ropes all night allowing Calzaghe to clown him ? Jones was not fighting anywhere near his peak level against Calzaghe compared to his form in the 90s.

So yes i do think the fight would've looked a whole lot different in the 90s, but do i think Jones blows away Calzaghe in 1 round ? no absolutely not.

 

Were RJJ not on PEDs, Calzaghe would have beat him.

Some of you have not come to terms with the FACT that Jones was a PEDs cheat, and thus, ALL OF HIS FIGHTS ARE SUSPECT. It is no coincidence that his "greatness" came in an era when testing was minimal, and he collapsed into fringe status as it became a more developed thing.

Deal with it.

 

Absolutely correct DP.

Incidentally, your exchange here with Apollo is a little reminiscent of their actual fight, a one-sided affair in your favour & if I'm not mistaken there's a hint of you realising that, & just showboating a little, too ;-)